Final integration into Skymiles (and why some got the 5K bonus miles)
Sep 9, 2009, 12:24 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 553
Mergers are driven by financial and big picture strategic considerations, not by issues like the difficulty of IT integrations. Obviously DL miscalculated the complexity of the integration and made a short-sighted decision to stick with the outmoded DL platform. In a perfect world, the FF programs wouldn't be merged until all the IT work was ready, but the economy and the dismal revenue numbers made it critical to combine operations as quickly as possible. Although I think the people running the FF program are sneaky, don't think things out well, and are terrible communicators, DL probably removed many of the NW elite benefits simply because they couldn't get them programmed. Not because of any grand cost/benefit calculus.
I suspect most DL employees below the level of top management are cursing the merger as much as we are.
I suspect most DL employees below the level of top management are cursing the merger as much as we are.
On a side note. Even though we have this big timeline on the Delta site, it seems that each individual step of the migration is not very well plan or executed. It seems to me, like as we approach each milestone, that only days prior to the announcement, has someone at Delta actually planned out how this is going to happen. I would think for a project of this size, something more than the 12 step outline on the website would need to be decided prior to beginning any integration work.
Sep 9, 2009, 4:10 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
As a person whose day job is IT system integration, I have gone from being amused at some of the decisions/failings/stumbling to flat out shocked. As I know for each and every change, a team of people sat down in a conference room and hashed out each and every step. And someone, ended up making a decision, as to what the solution would be. But I can’t help but wonder, where exactly did they set the bar for customer satisfaction? Did someone make a decision that meeting deadlines was better for the bottom line than keeping customer happy? Obviously customer satisfaction is critical for return business, but have the Delta’s been counters calculated that for all the moaning and groaning, actual revenue lost because of customer satisfaction issues would be less than the revenue lost because of a longer time-table?
Sep 9, 2009, 8:16 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
Sep 9, 2009, 8:19 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
Ideally the miles should have been burned earlier. But if you still have miles in your NW account, use nwa.com now to book a flight or call NW to book a flight. Generally the mileage levels with NW are lower than with DL, though that is not always the case.
Sep 9, 2009, 9:13 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
Programs: UA 1K, CO Plat, NW Plat, Marriott Premiere Plat, SPG Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,712
And booking award travel on NW.com is much, much, much less painful than doing so on dl.com. And possible!
Sep 9, 2009, 9:52 am
#36
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: National Capitol Region
Programs: Delta Dirt Medallion,AA,USairways, WN Rapid Rewards, National Emerald Club
Posts: 3,912
This summer I spoke to a Gold pax and he said that for similar close-in travel Delta wanted to charge the fee + 60,000 miles- for domestic travel !
He decided not to book the award.
Sep 9, 2009, 9:53 am
#37
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 104
You missed one great benefit. Medallion members with companions(in same pnr) will be upgraded 12 hours prior to flight.
That means Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and Silver, based on space available, will get them and a traveling companion an upgrade.
That means Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and Silver, based on space available, will get them and a traveling companion an upgrade.
Sep 9, 2009, 9:57 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: MLB
Programs: DL - KM DM, DL 1.57 MM, UA - 1P, AA - EXP HH - Diamond, PC - Platinum, SPG - Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 887
The key phrase here...bolded above....I've never seen it happen. I guess it is possible though.
Sep 9, 2009, 10:23 am
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Programs: UA Platinum MM; DL Silver; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 24,249
For those whose companions are eligible for an upgrade, it looks like separate PNRs are the way to go (either from the time of booking or split thereafter). In order to get the companion in the upgrade queue, this will require a phone call to DL (or, it can be done at the airport). The alternative of having one PNR means that "both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 12 hours prior to the flight's departure," which obviously may seriously imperil upgrade chances for the elite.
Sep 9, 2009, 4:57 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,423
Did everyone else know this already? That's why I'm not starting a new thread.
According to http://skymilesoffers.delta.com/airline_partners.php
Whereas NW gives 100% EQMs and banked miles for E, N and V. I think that means no more miles on the KLM portion of pretty much all of my flights to European destinations. If connecting to somewhere like KBP, MAD, CAI, or HEL that's a significant loss. I just paid $450 to fly LHR-HEL and back, which is hardly cheap, and that was an E class ticket.
Also, they don't mention NW or DL coded flights operated by KL.
According to http://skymilesoffers.delta.com/airline_partners.php
Whereas NW gives 100% EQMs and banked miles for E, N and V. I think that means no more miles on the KLM portion of pretty much all of my flights to European destinations. If connecting to somewhere like KBP, MAD, CAI, or HEL that's a significant loss. I just paid $450 to fly LHR-HEL and back, which is hardly cheap, and that was an E class ticket.
Also, they don't mention NW or DL coded flights operated by KL.
This is an improvement for Silvers, who previously were not entitled to the companion upgrade benefit. ^ However, there's a big catch: travelers on the least expensive discounted fares L, U, and T are not eligible for a companion upgrade, which is a net loss for NW Platinums and Golds.
For those whose companions are eligible for an upgrade, it looks like separate PNRs are the way to go (either from the time of booking or split thereafter). In order to get the companion in the upgrade queue, this will require a phone call to DL (or, it can be done at the airport). The alternative of having one PNR means that "both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 12 hours prior to the flight's departure," which obviously may seriously imperil upgrade chances for the elite.
For those whose companions are eligible for an upgrade, it looks like separate PNRs are the way to go (either from the time of booking or split thereafter). In order to get the companion in the upgrade queue, this will require a phone call to DL (or, it can be done at the airport). The alternative of having one PNR means that "both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 12 hours prior to the flight's departure," which obviously may seriously imperil upgrade chances for the elite.
Sep 9, 2009, 6:19 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
This is an improvement for Silvers, who previously were not entitled to the companion upgrade benefit. ^ However, there's a big catch: travelers on the least expensive discounted fares L, U, and T are not eligible for a companion upgrade, which is a net loss for NW Platinums and Golds.
For those whose companions are eligible for an upgrade, it looks like separate PNRs are the way to go (either from the time of booking or split thereafter). In order to get the companion in the upgrade queue, this will require a phone call to DL (or, it can be done at the airport). The alternative of having one PNR means that "both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 12 hours prior to the flight's departure," which obviously may seriously imperil upgrade chances for the elite.
For those whose companions are eligible for an upgrade, it looks like separate PNRs are the way to go (either from the time of booking or split thereafter). In order to get the companion in the upgrade queue, this will require a phone call to DL (or, it can be done at the airport). The alternative of having one PNR means that "both your upgrades will clear no sooner than 12 hours prior to the flight's departure," which obviously may seriously imperil upgrade chances for the elite.